Draft-gear-key retainer



K June 3, 1930. c. s. JOHNSTON EI'AL 1,761,266

DRAFT .GEAR KEY RETAINER Filed June 12, 1925 Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES A`1 aTENT OFFICE CHARLES S. JOHNSTON AND JAMES R. ALCOTT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOISY DRAFT-GEAR-KEY RETAINER This invention relates todraft gear key retainers.

In draft gear construction it is common practice to connect the draft sills, yoke and 5 coupler by means of a flat key extending through suitable slots in the parts, to allow for relative movement between the sills, coupler, yoke, and shock absorbing mechanism, means being provided for holding the key in position, which means heretofore have been in the form of a cotter pin extending through one or both ends of the key to prevent removal thereof. This construction is unsatisfactory for the reason that cotter pins quickly wear out due to the abrasive engagement between the parts, thus releasing ythe key, which may cause disconnection of the cars, and which necessitates considerable time and labor in replacement.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide key retaining means of a permanent character, which may be readily connected and disconnected from a position at one side of the car, and which is subject to a minimum of wear.

' A more` particular object of the invention is to provide a headed retainer key, 1n conjunction with a bracket connected to the car structure and associated with the headed end of the key for preventing` withdrawal thereof, `said bracket being disposed with reference to the key so as to retain the same in position at any point in the sliding ,movement, and includingmeans for bracing the same in a novel and efficient manner and for rendering the same quickly removable or attachable as conditions may require.

Other and further objects of the invention will more fully and clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

Inl the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevational viewl of the end Vportion `of draft sills of a railway car, showing the manner, of connecting the coupler and. yoke by means of a key, and illustrating in side elevation my improved key retaining means. Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a' perspective View of the removable portion of the key retaining means.

In said drawings, 10 denotes forward portions of draft sills of a railway car, with which are associated forward stop plates 11, against which the follower 12 associated with the shock absorbingmechanism 13 is adapted to abut, the rear stop plates which co-operate with the rear portion of the mechanism 13, not being shown. Secured along the outer top and bottom edges of each draft sill 10, are oppositely disposed reinforcing angle members 14, each of which has one flange vertically disposed, and secured to the adjacent sill 10 by suitable rivets, and in the case of the lower angle members disposed along the lower edges of the draft sills, the rivets extend through the vertically disposed iiange of each angle member, the adjacent draft sill 10, and stop plate 11, thus securing all of these parts together, the other flange of each angle member extending outwardly at right angles to the vertically disposed flange as shown in the drawings. The shock absorbing mechanism is encircled in the usual manner by a hooded yoke 15, said yoke being formed for the reception of the end 16 of the coupler 17, the coupler 17 the yoke 15, vstop plates 11,'a`nd sills 10, all being provided with elongated registering slots 18, through which is extended the fiat retainer key 19, all of this construction being old and well known, and forming no part of the present invention, except as hereinafter specified and claimed. j

In carrying out our invention, the retainer key 19 is provided with an enlarged head 20, to prevent passage of the key through the slots 18 in an inward direction, and secured to the undersurface of the horizontally eX- tending flange of the adj acentangle member 14, are key retainer means which prevent movement of the key in the opposite direction. The retainer means comprise a supporting bracket 21, and a removable portion 22 connected to said bracket. The bracket 21 is secured to the horizontally eX- tending flange of the angle member 14, by means of spaced rivets 23, and said bracket is provided with extensions, preferably three in number, including end extensions 24, and a central extension 25, which extensions are spaced apart and project outwardly beyond the flange of the angle member 14, and below the same, each of the extensions 24 and 25 being provided with an aperture for the reception of a retaining pin hereinafter referred to.

The removable `member 22 of the retaining means is in the form of an angular plate, the angular portion Q7 of said plate being adapted to provide an abutment for the head of the key 19, and the angular portion 28 of said member being provided with means by which the same may be connected to the bracket 21, said means including cut out portions 30 at each end of the angular part 28. which pro vide clearance for the heads of the rivets 23, and a central recess 31 adapted for the reception of the central projection 25 on the bracket 21, said member also being provided with a bore 32, the arrangement being such that when the 'retainer key 19 is placed in position in the slots 18, the removable portion v22 of the retaining means may be applied to the bracket 21 so that the central projection Q5 seats within the central recess 31, the remaining portion of the removable member fitting between the end extensions 24 on the bracket Q1, and the bore 32 registering with the openings in the extensions 24 and 25, so that the retaining bolt 33 may be extended therethrough, said bolt being provided with a nut 34 by which the parts are secured together.

By this arrangement the retainer key 19 is Aheld against removal from the slots in both directions, adjacent one end thereof, the removable portion of the bracket being of sufficient width to permit sliding movements of the key during operation of the mechanism withouty disconnection, said member being quickly and easily detached if necessary by removing the bolt 84 to disenga ge the key from its operative position. Also due to the arrangement, a pivoted effect is produced whereby pressure upon the member 2Q is transmitted through the pivotal connection directly to the undersurface of the bracket, while pivotal movement in the opposite direction is limited by engagement of the memberQQ with the edge of the bracket.

Although the device has been shown and described as being made up of two parts, which together form a retaining element, one portion of which is secured to the car structure, and the other portion of which is disposed in line with the end of the key, it is obvious that said clement may be of integral construction and rigidly secured to the car structure, if desired.

lhile we lhave herein shown and described what we now consider the preferred manner of carrying out our invent-ion, the same is merely illustrative and we contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

lVe claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with the draft mechanism of a railway car including draft sills having key-receiving openings, of a retainer key extending through various elements associated with said mechanism and car and working in the key-receiving openings of the draft sills; means at one vend of said key for retaining the same against removal in both directions, said means including an enlarged head upon said retainer key, and a bracket secured to the corresponding draft sill against which said head is adapted to abut.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with the draft mechanism of a, vrailway car including draft sills having key-receiving openings, of a retainer key associated with various elements of said mechanism and said car and working in said key receiving openings; means at one end of said key for retaining the same against removal in both directions, said means including an enlarged head upon said retainer key, and an abutment element secured to the corre spending draft sill against which said head is adapted to bear; and means for detachably connecting said element to said last named draft sill.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with the draft mechanism of a railway lcar including draft sills having key-receiving openings therein; of a key associated with said car and mechanism and working in said openings; supporting means secured to one of said sills, and an abutment element arranged to prevent withdrawal of said key; means for securing said abutment element to said supporting means, said abutment element having angular portions at opposite sides of the securing means, one of said angular portions being disposed in line with said key, and the other angular portion bearing against said supporting means.

4. ln a device of the character described, the combination with the draft sills and'draft mechanism of a railway car said draft sills having aligned key-receiving openings; of a key associated with the parts and working in said openings; supporting means secured to one of said sills; andan abutment arranged to prevent withdrawal of said key, having sections thereof angularly disposed to each other; and means for directly mounting said abutment on said supporting means, whereby one of said angular sections is disposed 'in line with said key, and the other angular section bears against said supporting means, movement of said abutment in the direction away from said key being restrainedby engagement with said supporting means.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a draft rigging including draft sills having aligned key-receiving openings; of a retainer key extending through said openings, and movably connecting the parts of the rigging; a bracket connected to the car structure and provided with a plurality of spaced extensions; and an angular abutment member having interengaging means With said extensions, said extensions and said means being provided With registering apertures through Which a bolt extends for detachably securing the same together, an angular portion of said abutment at one side of said bolt bearing upon the undersurface of said bracket, and the other angular portion being disposed in line with said key.

6. In a device of the character described,

' the combination with draft sills and draft mechanism, said sills being provided with elongated openings; of a retainer key extending through said openings, and movably connecting the parts; a bracket riveted to the car structure and provided with a plurality of spaced extensions; an angular abutment member having means located between the angular portions and interengaging said extensions, said extensions and said means being provided With registering apertures through Which abolt extends for securing the samel together, one angular portion of said abutment member bearing upon the undersurface of said bracket, and another angular portion being disposed in line With said key, said abutment member being provided With cutout portions to afford room for the heads of the rivets by which the bracket is secured to the car structure.

7 In a device of the character described, 'the combination With the draft mechanism of a railway car including draft sills having key-receiving openings, of a retainer key associated with various elements of said mechanism and said car and Working in said key receiving openings; an enlarged head upon said retainer key preventing removal of the key in one direction, and an abutment element secured to the corresponding draft sill against Which said head is adapted to bear; and means for detachably connecting said element to said last named draft sill, said element preventing removal of the key in the other direction.

In Witness that We claim the foregoing We have hereunto subscribed our names this 27th day of May, 1925.

CHARLES S. JOHNSTON. JAMES R. ALCOTT. 

